Zach ([info]smilingbeef) wrote,
@ 2008-03-16 03:34:00
Previous Entry  Add to memories!  Tell a Friend!  Next Entry
I have been buying books faster than I can read them
I buy too many books/here are the books I am going to read before summer, maybe:

Gravity's Rainbow - Pynchon (started reading it tonight)

Americana - Don DeLillo
Underworld - Don DeLillo
The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle - Murakami
What is the What - Eggars
The Diving Pool - Yoko Ogawa
Something Happened - Heller
Suttree - McCarthy (I've been putting this beast off awhile)
Absalom, Absalom - Faulkner
The Last Picture Show - McMurtry
Only Revolutions - Danielewski
The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay - Chabon
I Am Legend - Matheson
Ship of Fools - Porter
Dubliners - Joyce

So that's 15 books, not counting the ones that I bought for comps last year and still haven't read.  I don't know why I'm telling you this, Imaginary Audience, but maybe it's because words make me feel good.  Speaking of, have you read this Joey Comeau story?  I liked it a lot, and since he's gone off to France for a few weeks I thought I'd take this opportunity to say that I hate his guts for being such a good writer.

(Post a new comment)


[info]radanax
2008-03-16 09:08 am UTC (link)
I've read three of those, and have heard of and want to read five of the rest. And that story is so absolutely amazing, it's crazy.

Let me know if you like The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle, I Am Legend, and Dubliners.

(Reply to this) (Thread)

[info]smilingbeef
2008-03-17 02:09 am UTC (link)
He makes me so mad I could explode. Also, if you haven't read his novel or short story collection, I suggest you do. Good stuff.

(Reply to this) (Parent)

[info]scorchthefourth
2008-03-16 04:22 pm UTC (link)
Had to read a few stories from Dubliners in first year. I remember them being depressing!
Good luck with the list.

(Reply to this)


[info]soft_ascent
2008-03-16 05:36 pm UTC (link)
Words make me feel good too. Still, I hated The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle. I sold it to the used book store last night for $2.50.

(Reply to this) (Thread)

[info]smilingbeef
2008-03-16 08:45 pm UTC (link)
Oh, don't tell me that! Now when I read it I'll be looking for all the reasons you hated it. It'll be just like reading a book that has a bunch of pages dog-eared and passages underlined by previous readers.

Now I've got to put it at the bottom of the list so that I forget.

(Reply to this) (Parent)(Thread)

[info]soft_ascent
2008-03-16 10:24 pm UTC (link)
I never thought of it that way! Sorry for potentially ruining the book for you!

It does suck dicks when you get a book that someone scribbled all over, physically or psychically or internetally. Sometimes though I get a real kick out of enjoying a book people hate, like Atlas Shrugged or something. So maybe you could read it and enjoy seeing something in it that I missed?

(Reply to this) (Parent)

(Anonymous)
2008-03-16 08:25 pm UTC (link)
Just thought you might be interested in seeing this: http://nutandbee.com/ (March 15th, Bruno and Oliver)
It reminds me of the bear-octopus saga from Animals Have Problems Too pretty strongly, which is a little strange for something that's supposed to be an "original character good."

(Reply to this) (Thread)

[info]smilingbeef
2008-03-16 08:44 pm UTC (link)
Thanks for the heads up. Nut and Bee actually advertised with me for awhile, so I'm going to just take it as an homage rather than twisting my guts over it. Plus it's pretty cute, right?

(Reply to this) (Parent)

[info]aargh_ned
2008-03-17 01:02 am UTC (link)
Go ahead and read I Am Legend first. it's actually only 159 pages long, you'll finish it in a day. then you can mark it off your list and feel good about your progress.

(Reply to this) (Thread)

[info]smilingbeef
2008-03-17 01:53 am UTC (link)
Nah, I started with a dense 776 pages. I've been reading a lot of shorter books lately.

(Reply to this) (Parent)(Thread)

(Anonymous)
2008-03-17 04:29 am UTC (link)
Well, Gravity's Rainbow is basically the best book.

(Reply to this) (Parent)

[info]aargh_ned
2008-03-17 03:27 pm UTC (link)
yeah. i have a backlog of about 9 books, none of which are shorter than 550 pages. i actually bumped I Am Legend up in the queue specifically to get it out of the way, but now the stack of books is that much more daunting.

(Reply to this) (Parent)

[info]betterthanworse
2008-03-19 12:52 am UTC (link)
Hey! I am not imaginary... I think?

Great, now I have to read about philosophy for three hours to confirm my existence.

(Reply to this)


(Anonymous)
2008-04-14 08:53 pm UTC (link)
I don't see any trashy romance novels on this list!

(Reply to this)


[info]origteaorrist
2008-05-26 10:16 am UTC (link)
only revolutions is a hard book to keep up wiht
i love the writin style tho

i am legend is also sweet...


ever read the alchemist?

(Reply to this)

Create an Account
Forgot your login or password?
Login w/ OpenID
English • Español • Deutsch • Русский…